The Hood to Hood Finals brought out 4-person teams, featuring SA’s best skaters for a head to head single elimination jam format competition. Teams were chosen via online video entry, Hood to Hood Qualifiers at Boogaloos Grand Slam events in CPT, DBN, and JHB, along with the last minute qualifiers at KDC on Wednesday, bringing in the wildcard team, “Here by Chance” to the brackets.

With R25k first place prize on the line, we saw skating that was equally as gnarly as the pros from several of the skaters. In particular, “The Scumbags” and “The Woolf’s” brought the heat and took no prisoners. We saw several kickflip front board attempts from JHB young gun Brandon Valjalo in the first two rounds, and after several attempts with no luck along with a “contest make”, he pulled it just in time for the buzzer in the finals. The Woolf’s and Anthony De Mendonca also held it down for their crew. Adam Woolf pulled a kickflip back lip and several kickflips over the 4 block rail and his brother was backing him up with front salads and front nosegrinds down the 4 stair rail every try. Anthony’s flawless skating definitely complimented the rest of the team’s flow and landed “The Woolf’s and Two Other Dudes” 2nd place and R10000, respectively. Emcee Jeff Pang renamed ”Here by Chance” to “Beer by Chance”, but it was for sure that rounds were to be bought by HBC when they took out the Dope/Plankie team, landing them in 3rd place and R5000.

“The Scumbags” blew minds in Durban at the Hood to Hood Qualifiers, putting on a full-on demo, earning them a spot in the Hood to Hood Championships at KDC. There was some stiff competition, especially from The Woolf’s, but it was almost obvious from the beginning of the contest who was going to win. Dlamini’s frontside flips over the 4 stair rail, Braxton’s back noseblunts, Jean Marc’s kickflip melon’s combined with Khule’s consistency landed them the gold and R25000 in cash.

The KDC SA Vert Am brought out SA’s best vert skaters to Kimberley to compete for R20000 in cash prizes. It was really anybody’s game, but Dallas came through at the last minute and blew minds with a few of his runs, allowing him to run off with R10000 cash.

The KDC Women’s Street Contest brought out several of SA’s best girl skaters to skate for R20000 in cash. Kelly Murray that took the R10000 first place cash prize. Thanks to everyone who made it out and helped to be a part of progressing women’s skateboarding in South Africa.

UK-based South African Rock Band, WHAT NOW, returns home to embark on their first SA tour in over 8 years! The band will be hitting the road from 18 to 28 September, in support of their debut album release “Move Like A Sinner”, covering all corners of the country. In Association with Sabbath Events, What Now will be taking their explosive Rock Show to venues in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Port Elizabeth, East London, Ballito, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria, supported by fellow rockers CrashCarBurn, December Streets, Taxi Violence and ShortStraw. Having grown up in the dusty beach town of Ballito, the band is now based in London and has achieved incredible success away from their South African families and friends. Their title track from the album, “Move Like A Sinner”, has had great airplay on South African radio and the current hit “If Looks Could Kill” has hit #1 on a couple of key radio stations earlier in July!

Here are the dates for WHAT NOW’s “Move Like A Sinner” South African tour, so diarise it now and don’t miss out on seeing them live!Wednesday, 18th September Mystic Boer, Potchefstroom:

Impact “Double” is Willow’s weapon of choice, especially when he is skating big drops. The main reason he likes Impact “Double” is because they last longer while keeping the same feel as when he first set it up through the end of the board’s life.

Above is a quick line of Willow skating his Impact “Double”. Willow is in California at the moment working on a few projects. Get ready for more Willow in your life!

Email info@revolution.co.za with exactly what pair/s you want and your postal address. We will then send you our bank details, and when we see the money reflect, we will send your shoes to you. First come, first serve.

We’ve just got some rad new Vision Street Wear footwear in, and we’re pretty hyped about them. They’re exclusively available from Revolution Woodstock and Revolution Online. You can’t get them from anywhere else in the country.

Click on any of the images below to view the shoe on Revolution Online:

Vision Street Wear Canvas Hi Hypno Print

Vision Street Wear Canvas Lo Black

Vision Street Wear Canvas Lo Natural

Vision Street Wear Nylon Hi Black Bronze

Vision Street Wear Suede Hi Black

Vision Street Wear Suede Hi Charcoal

Vision Street Wear Suede Hi Red

It was 1976 and skateboarding was undergoing changes that would forever shape the sport and its culture. The urethane wheel had just been invented, the first outdoor skatepark was built in Florida, Alan Gelfand pulled the first ollie, and Vision Streetwear was born.

From that first year, it was clear that vision was something different. The Vision team represented some of the sickest most innovative skaters at the time including Mark Gonazalez, Lance Mountain, Tas Pappas, Duane Peters and Mark “Gator” Rogowski.

In addition, Vision was the first brand to understand the natural connection between music and skate culture. It put on a number of music and skate events including the Vision Skate Escape featuring Tony Hawk, Christian Hosoi and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

And probably most importantly, Vision re-defined skate and street style with its use of bold, in your face graphics on its skate decks, t-shirts and sneakers. The Psycho Stick, Aggressor and Gator Pro Model remain some of the most loved and well-respected symbols of innovative design throughout the history of social Skateboarding.

Since hittin’ the scene well over 30 years ago Vision footwear has always been designed to withstand the wear and tear of skaters everywhere. By pairing the patented Olliepad with bold colors and style, Vision defined the glory days with these instant icons.

The WSGP/KDC Rider Cup Teams Skateboarding Championships features eight 4-man teams comprised of SA’s best skaters competing in a head-to-head jam format competition on Friday, 27 September at the KDC. Three teams qualified from each of the 3 Boogaloos Grand Slam Rider Cup Qualifiers in CPT, DBN, & JHB securing their spots in the Rider Cup Finals. Additional entries were chosen from a quite large range of video entries that were submitted via our website. Only four teams will advance via online video entry.

Here are the teams that qualified at Rider Cup (formerly All Cities) qualifiers at one of three Grand Slam stops:

Cape Town is gearing up for spectacular skateboarding action over the next couple of days with two top pro skaters jetting into the Mother City to participate in a series of skateboarding clinics and demonstrations in the run-up to the Kimberley Diamond Cup world skateboarding championships presented by Kumba Iron Ore. Silas Baxter-Neal and Mike Anderson will be joining the Skateboarding for Hope road show and hit various street spots and skate parks across the peninsula.

The Skateboarding for Hope community outreach programme is a joint initiative between the Northern Cape provincial government, Kumba Iron Ore and Boogaloos, to promote and grow the sport of skateboarding in South Africa. The initiative has been travelling the country during the past three years and has touched the lives of thousands of South African youth. Over 4000 skateboards have been handed out to underprivileged kids across the country to enable them to embrace this exciting and fastest growing sport.

The first clinic and demonstration will be at Durbanville DIY skate park on Monday, 23 September, at 15h00 followed by a street skate session in Cape Town. On Heritage Day, 24 September, the action will move to the Edgemead skate park at 10h00 before hitting the city centre again. On Wednesday, 25 September, the road show will move to Valhalla Skate Park for a demonstration at 10h00 with a final street session scheduled for Cape Town afterwards.

According to Johann van Schalkwyk, project manager for the Kimberley Diamond Cup, it is especially fitting that these activations will form part of the Heritage Day celebrations in South Africa. “The Skateboarding for Hope tour will leave a lasting legacy within our communities by introducing our youth to a sport that is healthy and readily accessible. By teaching youngsters to skate and donating boards to less privileged kids, we are giving them an alternative pastime. Cape Town is already home to a very dynamic and growing skateboarding scene and we hope that Silas and Mike will further inspire young skateboarders to hone their talents.”

The Kimberley Diamond Cup world skateboarding championships will take place at the Kumba Skate Plaza in Kimberley from 27 – 29 September and will see the top professional and amateur skateboarders compete in the street and vert contests over the three-day period.

El Segundo, CA – (September 16, 2013) – Dusters California introduces two exclusive skateboard designs in collaboration with the Hendrix family in tribute to one of the most creative and influential musicians of the 20th Century, Jimi Hendrix. Always loyal to the pioneering spirit of skateboarding’s early years through heritage board design meshed with the latest technology, Dusters shines a spotlight on Jimi Hendrix, an innovator who revolutionised the electric guitar and the changed the course of music, with this special project.

The two Dusters x Jimi Hendrix skateboards, a cruiser and a longboard featuring iconic Hendrix imagery and upgraded hardware, can be found at premier surf and skateboard shops globally this July. The cruiser soulfully captures “Purple Haze” through blended iconic Hendrix concert images
and the Hendrix longboard is emblazoned with the Indian-influenced artwork from “Axis: Bold as Love,” the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s legendary second album.

Find the nearest Dusters California dealer and learn more about our boards at dusterscalifornia.com. “Dusters California is rooted in the trailblazing, creative tradition surrounding skateboarding since its earliest days,” says Dusters Creative Director Nano Nobrega. “That rich skateboard culture has always intertwined with music and Dusters is proud to pay tribute to such a pioneering force as Jimi Hendrix with these two board releases that both skaters and music fans alike will love.”

Dusters California originates from the heart and soul of skateboarding. Created in the Southern California cradle of skate and surf culture, Dusters’ skateboard collection embraces that rich heritage through traditional, retro-shaped boards and vintage graphics, built with the latest technology for stability and speed. Dusters California offers a variety of classic longboards and cruisers that embody old school image and feel. Unlike most boards, Dusters boards are crafted in our own premier woodshop and the quality, fit and finish is unrivaled. Dusters California is part of Dwindle Distribution, the world’s largest skateboard manufacturer.

About Authentic Hendrix, LLC Established in 1998, Authentic Hendrix is a wholly owned subsidiary of the principal Jimi Hendrix family music company, Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., which since 1995 has owned and licensed the songs and recordings of Jimi Hendrix. Experience Hendrix and Authentic Hendrix were founded by the late James Allen Hendrix, father of Jimi Hendrix, and the principal executives of Experience and Authentic Hendrix are members of the Hendrix family.

Below is the list of skaters that will be competing in the SA Amateur Street Competition at the Kimberley Diamond Cup. Competing skaters consist of eight skaters that won Wildcard entries from one of several Boogaloos Skate for Hope Tour competitions around the country and the KDC Choice list of SA’s best skaters. The KDC Am accommodates 24 skaters total, so only 5 skaters will advance from the open qualifiers in Kimberley.

Top professional skateboarders Ryan Decenzo and Adam Dyet will be joining the Skateboarding for Hope Tour in the Northern Cape Province in the lead-up to the Kimberley Diamond Cup presented by Kumba Iron Ore, a business unit of Anglo American. The world championship skateboarding event will take place in the capital city of Kimberley from 27-29 September and the best skateboarders in the world are expected to battle it out for the vert and street titles as well as a share in the price purse of more than R5 million.

These two skaters will be joining the community outreach initiative to take part in skateboarding clinics and demonstrations in Kathu, Kuruman and Kimberley. The activations form part of the joint initiative between the Northern Cape provincial government and Kumba Iron Ore to introduce novice skateboarders in impoverished communities to the joy of skateboarding.

This will be Decenzo’s second trip to South Africa after he narrowly missed out on the world championship title in Kimberley last year. He recently took the first place at the Kia World Games hosted in China in June. Dyet was a bronze medallist at the X Games and will be a first-time visitor to the country.

According to Tim McFerran of World Skateboarding Grand Prix, it is very exciting to have such accomplished skateboarders joining a part of the road show. “They are amazingly talented skateboarders and it is a fantastic opportunity for youngsters in the Northern Cape to learn basic skateboarding skills from the best in the world. I am confident that Ryan and Adam will show off all their tricks during the demonstrations and that this will further inspire a new generation of skateboarders throughout the province. Skateboarding enthusiasts will also be able to get a sneak preview of what can be expected during the three days of non-stop skateboarding action at the Kumba Skate Plaza in Kimberley next weekend,” mentions McFerran.

Yvonne Mfolo, executive head of public affairs at Kumba Iron Ore is proud of the company’s association with the Skateboarding for Hope initiative through their support of the Kimberley Diamond Cup. “As a company we seek to support projects and initiatives that make a real difference in the communities in which we operate. As part of our robust community engagement and development programme we run throughout the Northern Cape, the Kimberly Diamond Cup and the Skateboarding for Hope initiative are aligned with this philosophy. We are proud of the value it has provided to communities throughout the Northern Cape, especially the impact it has had in promoting a positive lifestyle to the youth of the province.”

Maybe a little cynical, but this how-to guide on how to write a ‘hipster’ rock anthem is pretty funny.

This song was written ironically. Combining elements from bands like Arcade Fire, the Lumineers, and Vampire Weekend, this song was written and recorded in two days, and then we made a video that looks like an Urban Outfitters commercial.

Music written and recorded by Jared Sosa, and performed by Jared Sosa and Jamie Renee Williams

A Vacant Passage opens this weekend, so we caught up with artist Paul Senyol to talk to him about it…

Tell us about A Vacant Passage, your exhibition this weekend with Andrzej Urbanski.
It is a two person show, opening on Saturday at Salon91 Contemporary Art Collection. Andrzej and I met about a year and a half ago for the first time. We have since become close friends and, during this time, have discovered many similarities in our approach to work and life, as well as our past. The exhibition is an exploration along these themes.

How did you guys meet? What made you decide to work on an exhibition and collaborate on some work together?
I heard that Andrzej was at /A WORD OF ART AIR (Artist In Residence) programme, and one day I passed by him while cycling down the street. At the time he was busy painting a wall. I waved, shouted “nice wall” and carried on riding. A few days later we met again while walking down the street. We exchanged numbers, and when AJ returned a few months later, we started to hang out a bit more. We both enjoy each others’ work, and we had an idea to do some collaborative walls and art pieces. Monique at Salon91 and myself were planning exhibitions and shows for myself in January this year, and we decided to do a two person show in October. I suggested AJ as the other artist whom I most wanted to work with.

What do you think influences your personal style to be more abstract than ‘straight forward’, if I can say that?
I like to play with line and colour, and create things that are a bit more allusive and are able to draw a viewer in, as well as engage with a person as they start to make sense of a piece and interpret it for themselves. I believe that in painting there needs to be a fair bit of interpretation allowed on the viewers behalf. I like to engage with the viewer’s imagination.

The press release for the exhibition mentioned that “To the artists, Germany is a vacant place, Poland is a vacant place, and some day, South Africa too might become a vacant place.” What is a ‘vacant’ place?
Through our time researching and creating works for the exhibition, we came across so many old photos of places, people and things that no longer exist but, if you showed one of these photos to my Dad for instance, it would bring back a memory of something that perhaps no longer exists. As people, we travel to and from places, leave things behind, take things with us, make friends etc., but at the end of the day, we cannot take a place with us. In essence, the place becomes vacant when we leave, but it remains in our minds and in our hearts. Germany and Poland became vacant for our families because, for various reasons, they were forced to move. It has been fascinating to me exploring these places via photos, letters and diaries from my grandparents.

What made you decide to integrate computer software and technologies into the exhibition? How has it been integrated?
A friend of Monique’s, Johan, approached us with this concept of showing work in a new way, via digital means. What excited AJ and myself was that it would allow us to show work in a physical space, but bring the viewer into contact with all the history and source we had used in a non-tangible digital space. We are now able to elaborate on these ‘vacant passages’ through which our families and ourselves have travelled.

What do you hope that people get out of viewing the exhibition?
I hope people are inspired by the works we have created, and that they realise that each day they have the opportunity to continue writing a history story of their own; that through the exhibition they realise the importance of friendships and family. These archived photos, letters and documents from my grandparents are fascinating for their history, but also how they shape my identity and sense of place in this world. We all leave a legacy of some form, and I hope that people are inspired to leave behind a positive trace of themselves as they travel through their lifetime.

What does the future have in store for Paul Senyol?
A few more art shows locally this year and a short residency in Germany halfway through 2014. After the opening on Saturday I would like to take a few days off to plot some ideas for upcoming shows and projects.

Any last words?
The show opens on Saturday at 11h00. We will have some sweet ice cream, as well as be making a braai. Come on down and say hi, hang out, and enjoy the opening with us.

Celebrating two decades in the skateboarding scene, Zoo York is one of the most iconically recognized East Coast skate brands, boasting a team of athletes such as Chaz Ortiz, Kevin Taylor, Aaron Suski, Brandon Westgate, Forrest Kirby, and Ron Deily. The brand, which has been through some major milestones in its 20 years in existence, started off in 1993 as a grassroots effort by three NYC skateboarders Rodney Smith, Eli Gessner and Adam Schatz and has since evolved into a globally distributed company since it was acquired by Iconix in 2011.

Despite its growth, the brand has managed to maintain its core East Coast roots, and still have loyal support from its Zoo Crew, which includes original NYC graffiti artists, designers, musicians, BMX riders, and skateboarders. That connection to its community has been key to maintaining the authenticity behind the products, according to Brand Manager and Team Manager Ben Oleynik.

“I see the brand doing what it’s always done: celebrating East Coast skateboarding and the wider culture around it,” says Oleynik. “We work hard every day to create content, products, and initiatives that are culturally relevant and meaningful for our retailers, our customers, and the skate community in general. We continue to grow and strengthen our partnerships on a global level. It’s a really exciting time for the brand.”

This September, the brand also unveiled its new Zoo York Kings collection, which is meant to pay tribute each season to a “King of New York” skateboarding, with the inaugural line honoring the Harold Hunter Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from this limited edition board and T-shirt offering goes directly to the non-profit organization.

Transworld Business caught up with Oleynik to learn more about Zoo York’s plan for the future, the roll out of its Zoo York Kings collection, and the brand’s goals and strategies to continue supporting skateboarding on the East Coast.

First of all, congratulations on your 20th anniversary. Give us some of the big moments, films, decisions, etc, over the last 20 years that have shaped the brand.

Thank you. Growing up I was a huge fan of ZOO, so I know the videos played a major role in shaping the brand and people’s connection to it. There’s nothing like East Coast skating and the ZOO videos that RB (Umali) made always showcased that. Mixtape dropped in 1998 and 15 years later people are still talking about it and the impact it had.

Product-wise, it was a major decision to keep manufacturing of our hardgoods in Long Island with Chapman Skateboards. They’ve made our boards since day one, and the consistent high quality of our boards is something our retailers, team and customers really appreciate.

The transition to Iconix in 2011 was huge. It’s allowed us to stay true to the brand’s roots, while scaling up to a larger audience. We’ve been able to draw more attention to East Coast skateboarding through major initiatives that would have never been possible before Iconix, like our ZOO YORK Takes Yankee Stadium video.

What were the original goals for the brand? Where are you at with those and what are you setting your sites on for the next few years?

From day one, ZOO has showcased and celebrated the amazing culture in New York and on the East Coast. It embodies that DIY spirit and is a fixture of the scene here. We put kids on from over here. We support the events, media and retailers over here. We partner with the Harold Hunter Foundation and Stoked Mentoring each year. We collaborate with East Coast artists, photographers and musicians. The brand symbolizes that you don’t have to move away from the East. You can stay here, contribute to and support your own scene. Help it grow and define yourself. That’s a very powerful and important message that ZOO represents. It’s something we will continue to honor.

You guys have held the banner of the East Coast scene for years. Where do you see the right side scene these days and how is that zone’s health these days?

The East has become more influential than ever. It’s thriving. The entire industry has seen a serious growth in skateparks and skatepark clips and major contests. All those things are great and serve their purpose. However, I think it also causes people to thirst for raw street skating even more. That shines more light on the East because it’s the epitome of raw street skating.

More and more companies are popping up over here. You’re seeing more and more brands and filmmakers releasing NYC-focused videos and articles. There’s collaboration, there’s competition. It’s all healthy and it’s great to be a part of it.

You just released a new collection/segmentation called ZOO YORK KINGS – tell us about that?

It’s a premium apparel and hardgoods line available only at skate shops. It celebrates the roots of ZOO YORK and the various KINGS who have come from the East. The product is designed, manufactured and sold by Chapman. They have done an amazing job and we are extremely excited about it. Over the last few years, we have released small product capsules exclusively for skate shops, but KINGS will be ongoing. Each season we will honor a different KING with a collab as part of the overall collection.

Who are you collaborating with first?

The Harold Hunter Foundation, honoring and celebrating Harold. Alex Corporan linked us up with photographer Matthew Salacsue, also a native New Yorker, who had shot some amazing photos of Harold and it went from there. A portion of the proceeds from the collab is going to the foundation and we are always honored to work with them.

Give us an idea of how many shops will be stocking it, who they are, and why you’re working with those shops?

The collection will be available in skate shops across the country and worldwide. Core shops and their customers truly understand and appreciate the history, nuances and meanings within this space. We wanted to offer product that really resonates with them. This collection isn’t just a celebration of the brand’s history. It’s also a thank you to all those people and shops that supported the brand for the last 20 years.

What’s your take on the current state of specialty skate retail and how do programs like this help them?

Ask anyone in specialty and they’ll tell you it’s tough. They need programs that have compelling product and real marketing support. We listen to what the shops are saying. We are committed to them. If the product is special and the messaging is authentic, it will drive demand and give these shops another point of differentiation.

What will you be doing on the marketing front to drive skaters to these shops?

The marketing around the collection will speak directly to skaters. This collection is for them. We’ve got some heavily plans that will be rolling out in the next month. I think a lot of people are going to be pleasantly surprised. If you were at the Agenda shows, you got an idea of what I’m talking about.

Time for a team update. You guys have some sick new Ams on the squad. Give us the low down.

The Ams are Dave Willis and Kevin Tierney from New York and Travis Glover from Atlanta. They’ve been flow for years and were officially added to the squad early last year. We have a diverse pro team with Chaz, Westgate, FORE, Suski, Ron and KT, and the Ams complement it well.

The East is known for the unique styles and personalities that come from here and the Ams definitely embody that. They are great kids and really stand out. Dave and Kevin are true New Yorkers. They always have ten different hustles on the go, but still manage to handle everything. Travis brings that laid back Southern cadence wherever he goes. One minute he’s sleeping in the van, next minute he’s jumping down something crazy. We have a big project in the works with these three right now.

Closing thoughts?

ZOO YORK has such a rich history. So many amazing talents and amazing people have been a part of the brand over the years. As we celebrate our 20-year anniversary and the launch of our KINGS line we’d like to sincerely thank everyone who’s been a part of the brand and supported us along the way. Here’s to 20 more years and beyond.

There is a beautiful synergy that exists between Paul Senyol & Andrzej Urbanski’s paintings. A VACANT PASSAGE is the story of two artists traveling and leaving behind remnants and legacies, told and expressed through powerful & uniquely abstracted artworks. Andrzej Urbanski [Pol/Ger] and Paul Senyol [Zar] first met during Urbanski’s residency in Cape Town in June of 2012. Soon they began to discover the many similarities, which exist across their individual artistic practices and approaches, even though the execution of their work differs radically.

A VACANT PASSAGE presents an all-new body of work from Urbanski and Senyol respectively, as well as some collaborative pieces, all of which relate to their history and the common happenings of the years when both artists’ families experienced the repercussions of The Second World War. The works on exhibition reference a time and a place, which no longer exist. Both artists having experienced this particular location in a different context, come together to seek out and construct a narrative from the puzzle pieces of a past, which neither has any actual recollection of, other than a shoebox filled with photos, newspaper clippings, essays as well as stories handed down from generation to generation. To the artists, Germany is a vacant place, Poland is a vacant place, and some day, South Africa too might become a vacant place.

While the subject matter may seem very specific, the works carry a truly universal message. The exhibition will feature a unique AUGMENTED REALITY aspect, which will further enhance the level of accessibility, as well as the viewer’s experience of the exhibition by means of user-friendly computer software & technologies. Visitors will be able to download the software to devices such as Smartphones & Ipads to enjoy an enhanced experience, which will offer further insight into the artists, their stories and the works on show. The exhibition flyer, the shopfront and the artworks will be layered with interactive digital content. Viewers can expect to see medium to large-scale paintings varying from monochrome black and white, to beautiful hues of colour on paper and on canvas, as well as a number of collaborative works.

ANDRZEJ URBANSKI | ARTISTS PROFILE

Andrzej Urbanski (Born 1983) is a German visual artist of Polish ancestry, currently residing in Cape Town. Andrzej’s early artistic background has developed and evolved over the course of 16 years spent painting, creating sculptures, being involved in several art projects, exhibitions and teaching positions around the globe. The artist holds a Masters Degree in Fine Arts, attained during 2012 from the EAE (European Art Ensemble) at the ECAL (University of Art & Design) in Lausanne, Switzerland and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Design/Graphic Design from BTK-FH in Berlin since 2010. In June of 2012 Andrzej completed a residency at /A WORD OF ART as a part of his studies. The mandate for the EAE program states that students must engage in dialogue with foreign scholars and institutions, holding at its core the need for interpersonal connection and foreign travel to gather experience and exchange ideas between art professionals, educators, and students. Aside from his finished thesis research, Andrzej is interested in exploring the process of creating work in different social environments around the globe, drawing influence and inspiration from architecture, landscape, photography, design elements and media/advertising & of course from the other artists he encounters on his journey. His main artistic focus is on human social behaviour and learned or innate reactions to varying shapes and colours.

PAUL SENYOL | ARTISTS PROFILE

Paul Senyol was born on the 25th of October 1980 in Cape Town, South Africa. Paul has been drawing and painting since his early high school years, however never pursuing any form of artistic or graphic training. At age sixteen, he discovered the freedom of skateboarding and punk rock music in the beautiful suburb of Welgemoed, where he grew up. This naturally became a key influence in his early drawings, sketches and paintings, while skateboard graphics, album covers, magazine layouts and illustrations played a role in developing his aesthetic eye. Around the same time, he also became exposed to the creativity of graffiti and street artists such as Marc Gonzales, Ed Templeton, and Barry McGee – all of this forming part of his early art education. A few years later Paul was introduced to and moved by the creative thought and artistic genius of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Cy Twombly respectively. Senyol’s lack of formal training and schooling has given him the freedom to break away from traditional notions of painting, to explore genres and styles, and to meld mediums, allowing him a creative freedom that flows so evidently through his work. Senyol’s art lingers gracefully and intentionally between beauty and honesty and brings a surreal, yet abstract world into being. His current work focuses heavily on narrative, shape, line, form, composition, colour & texture. Each faint line, bold brushstroke and shape is carefully composed to breathe life into its environment, reflecting something of light, serenity, experience and thought. His finished work seeks to engage the viewer through translating his own experiences to canvas, allowing an open discussion and translation of his work. Senyol has exhibited extensively throughout South Africa and abroad. This year Paul has been nominated as a finalist to the Absa Atelier Competition 2013. He currently works from a studio in Woodstock, Cape Town.

The line-up for the Kimberley Diamond Cup world skateboarding championships presented by Kumba Iron Ore has been expanded to include a women’s amateur street contest as well as an amateur vert contest. Both competitions will take place at the Kumba Skate Plaza in Kimberley on Thursday, 26 September, and are guaranteed to further boost the growth of skateboarding in the country.

The introduction of these two contests has been met with huge enthusiasm by the skateboarding fraternity. According to Mike Koroczynsky, facility director at the skate plaza, street contests for girls and vert contests are two genres of competitive skateboarding that often take the back seat during South African competitions. “We are hyped to be able to create an opportunity for these genres to grow even more and plan to include women’s street and vert skating in all Kimberley Diamond Cup related competitions in future. I’ve recently had the pleasure of working with Jacques Allison of Vert.co.za and he is really pushing the progression of vert skateboarding in South Africa. I’m stoked that he’ll be traveling to Kimberley to compete in the contest,” mentions Koroczynsky.

Allison agrees that vert skateboarding in South Africa has really been an underground event until recently. “Skating on a big ramp is not as easy as taking your skateboard to the street and having a nice afternoon session. You really need a ramp to have some vert fun. Since building a vert ramp in Midrand in 2010 to improve our skills and further fuel our passion for vert skating, we have noticed the return of old-school vert ramp skaters during our training sessions on Sunday. This is really exciting and it looks as if everyone is putting on some pads to conquer the vert wall and drop the ramp. We’ve already seen renewed interest in vert skating and some exciting developing vert skaters showing great potential,” explains Allison.

Melissa Williams from Cape Town is considered a legend in the female skateboarding community and is extremely excited about girl power coming to the Kimberley Diamond Cup. “Through the years, I have been speaking to many girls, who were really hyped to skate but were too nervous to check it out, probably because it is such a male dominated sport. With more government skate parks opening up and the introduction of a girls’ contest in Kimberley, it feels as if there is finally a more comfortable and welcoming environment for girls to get into skating. It’s the best to see young girls hanging out and kind of being proud rather than afraid.”

Durban skater girl Bexx Sneddon is amped about the addition of a girls’ competition and reckons this is the only way to get more girls into skateboarding. She has noticed a distinctive growth of girl skaters and reckons that Gauteng-based skaters like Kelly Murray, Angie Schultz and Chanelle Olivier as well as the Cape Town team Boobs & Skateboards are taking it to a new level.

For more information, visit www.kimberleydiamondcup.com or follow KDC on Twitter and Facebook.

From Daewon-level manuals to handrail tech-gnar to everything in between, Youness can truly skate everything. Straight from Belgium with one of the heaviest BANGIN!s ever. It’s gonna be hard to top this one.

This is a short video profile that we recently did on JP. He is an amazing skateboarder and an all-round nice guy. We really had fun being on this set with the guy and getting to know him. His raw and old-school skate style reminds us of the great Stacy Peralta. – Melon Video

Zero Skateboards and Skateistan have released a series of three colab decks. Each design tells its own story about skateboarding in Afghanistan. Proceeds from the sale of each deck supports Skateistan.

“There is not much that’s better than seeing your own name on a skateboard deck from a hardcore skate brand. It will connect kids that skate all around the world with Skateistan projects and there will be a little more humanity in the world,” says Skateistan’s founder and executive director, Oliver Percovich.

Here’s the story behind each skateboard:

“Zero x Skateistan Army” Skateboard Deck – 8″ x 32″
Although Skateistan’s dedicated team of staff and volunteers see themselves more as a family than an army, we’ve had some fallen soldiers over the years who we will keep alive in our memories forever. These include four students and volunteers who were killed by a suicide bomb last year, as well as our former Sport Coordinator in Kabul, Khalid, who was a talented Afghan-Canadian skateboarder that joined Skateistan as a volunteer in 2010 and sadly passed away in 2012. When we saw the design above we thought immediately of Khalid and how excited he would be have been to see that he made it onto a Zero board graphic. One of three photos appearing on the board, it shows Khalid ollieing on a bridge behind Darulaman palace, where Afghanistan’s royalty used to live. The other images in the collage were taken by Skateistan volunteers, and are likewise a testament to our amazing team around the world, whose hard work and passion help to keep Skateistan rolling.

“Zero x Skateistan Logo Rifle” Skateboard Deck – 8.125″ x 32.125″
While the AK-47 gun has become a pronounced symbol of war and conflict, Skateistan’s logo of the gun broken in half creates an equally resounding symbol against violence in favour of peace and conflict resolution. In our full logo, the AK-47 is being broken by a skateboarder, which our students in Afghanistan have identified closely with. The youth have hope for a future of peace, unity, development, and sports.

“Zero x Skateistan Bombs” Skateboard Deck – 7.62″ x 31.5″
When Zero’s design team asked for photographs of street scenes from Kabul, Afghanistan, one image taken at the iconic (and now demolished) Russian Cultural Centre came to mind. The bullet ridden and destroyed building was one of the city’s most iconic and historic locations, as well as a popular street skating spot for Skateistan’s team. The location was once featured on the cover of Kingpin Skateboarding Magazine after a visit from pro skaters in 2012. It was also one of the hotspots for Kabul’s local street artists to express themselves. The Cultural Centre showed the scars of war and suffering, and was not in use except as a place for drug users or sometimes kids playing cricket – and of course skateboarding. The photo above was taken during a skate session with some of the Skateistan team in 2011: Khalid, Merza, Oliver, and Rhianon.

With a High Adrenaline Head-to-Head Jam Format, Pros Get Ready to Battle for World Championship Title and $100,000 First Place Prize

(Sacramento, Calif. – Sept. 12, 2013) – The street lineup for the 2013 Kimberley Diamond Cup presented by Kumba Iron Ore was announced today. The best pro street skaters from around the world will battle it out in Kimberley, South Africa Sept. 27-29 for a world championship title and their share of a $500,000 prize purse, the largest single event prize purse in skateboarding. The winner of the Street Championships will receive a $100,000 cash prize.

“This roster is insane,” said Pro Skater Greg Lutzka. “To bring all these guys together in South Africa, with a world championship title and a huge prize purse, it’s gonna be an intense contest. The head-to-head jam format means lots of action, and lots of crazy tricks are gonna get thrown. This is one contest where I almost wish I could just watch because I know it’s going to be insane. But that $100,000 prize is way too big to pass up, so I’ll definitely be hitting it hard and going all out.”

The Kimberley Diamond Cup Street Championships will take place in the Kumba Skate Plaza on a custom designed street course designed by California Skateparks, the global leader in skatepark design. The contest will be broadcast live in South Africa, and then around the world in 173 countries and 367 million homes.

“To see such a diverse group of skaters represented at a single event is pretty remarkable,” said Ryan Clements of CA PROductions, part of the event management team and one of the announcers of the Kimberley Diamond Cup. “The contest will be using a head-to head jam format, which is a great way to get the skaters to push their limits and literally battle it out, giving everything they’ve got. It’s going to be an incredible contest to watch with nonstop shredding from beginning to end. This is a huge prize in the skateboarding world, with $100,000 cash up for grabs, the skating is going to be insane. And to get to do it all in South Africa is just incredible. I can’t wait to see how it all goes down!”

The buildup to the Kimberley Diamond Cup will include two pro tours consisting of some of the top pros in the industry. One pro tour will start in Cape Town and one in Johannesburg and each tour will work its way to Kimberley, with the pros giving skate clinics, demos, autograph signings and building excitement for the world championships in the small townships along the way.

Kimberley Diamond Cup replaces the Maloof Money Cup world championships, which ended its run in South Africa last year. The new event, a partnership between the Northern Cape Provincial Government, World Skateboarding Grand Prix, and Kumba Iron Ore, was named in homage to the host city’s history as the location of South Africa’s first diamond mine and its distinction as “The Diamond City.”

“South Africa has experienced a skateboarding movement over the last few years and the Kimberley Diamond Cup is the most highly anticipated event of the year,” said John Block, MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism. “This year’s contest has the largest number of skaters and the biggest names of any skate event we’ve ever hosted. The hotels in Kimberley are already at capacity and the anticipation is growing every day. Luckily fans won’t have to wait much longer. We’re excited to host this incredible event and see history made.”

For the latest news and information, visit www.kimberleydiamondcup.com or follow KDC on Twitter and Facebook.

On Sunday, September 8th, 2013 the Vans Team did a bittersweet demo at the Amsterdam Skatepark. Sadly, it is to be the last demo held there because the city is evicting the park at the end of the year. The guys did their best to send it off in grand fashion. Thanks for the memories, Amsterdam.

The Witching Hour is an exploration of the magical and secret spaces of the world. Artists Candice Ježek and Jade Klara use a whimsical and powerfully feminine style to create rich narratives of unexpected yet somehow familiar themes. Expressed through various mediums of painting, sculpture, and print, they aim to move the viewer to a place of both sweetness and sorrow. The witching hour is a visually stimulating, diverse and powerful showing of the reflections of these two artists’ lives.

Celebrating some of the most innovative contemporary artists in Cape Town as they turn their eye-catching designs into canvas-wrapped Red Bull coolers. The work will be showcased at The Assembly on Friday September 13, 2013 from 6pm.

It’s time for the Kimberley Diamond Cup and we’re giving SA’s best skaters the chance to shine this September at the All Cities contest.

Eight 4-man teams featuring the country’s best skaters will compete for cash prizes and the All Cities title this September in a single-elimination head-to-head jam format skate competition at the Kimberley Skate Plaza. If you aren’t able to travel to compete at one of our Grand Slam events in JHB, DBN, or CPT, there’s no need to stress. You still have a chance to qualify online via video entry. The best three videos that make the cut will win a slot in the All Cities competition at the Kimberley Diamond Cup on 27th September and a shot at the All Cities title.

Deadline for submissions is Friday 20th September so send in your team’s entry today!

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSIONS
Teams must consist of 4 skaters only
As long as skaters are a resident of South Africa, there is no limit to the status of competing skaters regarding professional, amateur, or sponsored.
Videos must be approximately 1-2 minutes in length featuring all team members
Music in the videos is optional. Production value won’t hurt or help your chances of getting chosen, but taking the extra time to put together a clip that’s easy on the eyes is always great to see.
Footage may be comprised of street and/or park skating. A little variety won’t hurt.
Please keep skating first and foremost and keep the hijinx limited. You can save the party footage for another project; we don’t want to see it.

Skaters will be assigned to skate different parts of the street course:

Tech Section: Big section and everything on the right side of the course including the Euro gap, 3 stair, and bank to ledge.
Small Section: Marble ledges, manual pad, and flat bar located at the front of the skatepark.
Medium Section: Big section and everything on the left side of the course including the A-Frame, quarterpipe, and 5 stair section.
Big Section: Big 4 stair along with handrails and hubba ledges only.

*Teams do not win an all-expenses-paid trip or accommodation. The three winning videos simply secure their spot in the All Cities Contest.

Deadline for submissions is 20th September, so send your submission now! Good luck!

London’s Southbank Centre has revealed some new plans for the proposed Hungerford Bridge Skatepark, which is supposed to replace the current space that the Southbank undercroft is using. Southbank Centre commissioned Iain Borden (Professor of Architecture and Urban Culture at the Bartlett School of Architecture) and Rich Holland (Architectural designer at Floda31), who has been involved with a bunch of different sculptures and installations with ‘skatability’ in mind, to illustrate the new plans.

Long Live Southbank managed to get over 40,000 signatures on a petition to save the area from being destroyed by retail developments (worth £120 million). The Southbank Centre think that the space has more potential that is being utilized at the moment though, and if the skaters agree, are willing to spend up to £1 million on building the new space, which is 120 metres further up the river and 10% larger in size.

“We want skating and other urban arts to continue to flourish at Southbank Centre and we hope these proposals show we’re committed to a permanent riverside skate site right next to the Royal Festival Hall.” She added that the current designs are “not set in stone” because “community sites like these are enormously enhanced by organic development through the use and input of the users themselves.” – Jude Kelly

Iain Borden said that “the three visualisations of the site certainly offer everything functionally that is already in the undercroft. They have steps, ledges, things that skaters can manoeuvre onto. They also have a reasonably flat floorspace. I would say it’s better if you just measure it quantitatively. What it doesn’t have is the 35-year history. But give the Southbank Centre their due. Normally a commercial developer comes along and says, ‘You’ve had your free ride, sod off.’ It’s part of the game because skateboarders use space they don’t own. What the Southbank are offering the skateboarders has never been offered to other skateboarding groups anywhere else in the world.”

We’ve just got a whole bunch of new adidas Skateboarding shoes in, and we think they look pretty cool. They’re available from your closest Revolution store, or from Revolution Online. Click on an image below to link through to the item on our online store.

Revolution Online is running a new special, which will change every week. This week’s one is called the ‘Big Boy’ Special, and features a huge discount on the pictured products from Globe and KFD: Size 36 and 38 shorts, and size XL and XXL tees.

How it works:

1. Click HERE.
2. Pick the item/s you want. Choose either size 36 or 38 if it is a pair of short, or size XL or XXL if it is a tee.
3. Add the items to your cart.
4. Go to your cart. Put the code “BIGBOY” into where it says ‘Apply Coupon’.
5. Click ‘Apply Coupon’ and watch the discount happen.

Kimberley Diamond Cup have announced the Vert Pros coming out for the event, which is happening from 27 – 29 September. They’ll be competing for World Championship Title and Vert Skateboarding’s Largest Prize Purse.

(Sacramento, Calif. – Sept. 4, 2013) – The pro vert lineup for the 2013 Kimberley Diamond Cup presented by Kumba Iron Ore was announced today. The world championship contest, taking place in Kimberley, South Africa from 27 – 29 September, will feature the best professional street and vert skateboarders from around the world competing for a shot at a world championship title and their share of the $500,000 US prize purse, the largest single-event prize purse in skateboarding.

Kimberley Diamond Cup replaces the Maloof Money Cup world championships, which ended its run in South Africa last year. The new event, a partnership between the Northern Cape Provincial Government, World Skateboarding Grand Prix, and Kumba Iron Ore, was named in homage to the host city’s history as the location of South Africa’s first diamond mine and its distinction as “The Diamond City.”

The Kimberley Diamond Cup Vert Championships will take place on a custom vert ramp and a big air ramp located in the state-of-the-art Kumba Skate Plaza designed by California Skateparks, the global leader in skate park design. The top cash prize for vert is $60,000, the largest in the industry, with an additional $10,000 up for grabs in the Best Trick contest.

“I’m really looking forward to competing in the Kimberley Diamond Cup, this will be my third trip to South Africa,” said Pro Skater and 17-time X Games medalist Pierre Luc Gagnon. “The management group always hosts the best quality events that really stand out from the rest; not to mention the biggest prize purse in Vert! See you guys out there. Heeeweeego!”

“I’m looking forward to the Kimberley Diamond Cup. It’s going to be bigger and better than ever. We’ve got more skaters than ever before and they truly represent the best of the skateboarding world,” said Mark Waters, operations manager for World Skateboarding Grand Prix. “This truly is one of the best contest management teams I’ve ever been associated with and I’m looking forward to seeing some mind blowing skating. I can’t wait to watch the vert and big air contests. These guys bring everything they’ve got and watching that event with every skater crowded around always makes for a high intensity contest.”

“This year’s competition promises to be better than ever. Skate enthusiasts from around the world and across the country are gearing up for an adrenaline-packed contest,” said Patrick Seboko, Head of the Northern Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism. “We have partnered with US-based World Skateboarding Grand Prix, which leads a team of international skate experts who have been responsible for many of the innovations in skateboarding contests over the last six years, including the Maloof Money Cup. The Kimberley Diamond Cup will cement the reputation of Kimberley and the Northern Cape as a world-class skateboarding destination.”

On August 15 – 19 2013, Skatelite brought Darkstar pro’s Adam Dyet, PLG, Greg Lutzka and Chet Thomas to the San Juan’s to help kick off the Lopez Island skatepark grand opening. Here is a quick re-cap of the time spent on the islands. It looked incredible.

The Boogaloos Grand Slam went down at Canal Walk Mall in Cape Town on 8th September welcoming thousands of spectators over the course of the day to watch Cape Town’s best skaters battle it out for an R50k total prize purse along with a spot in the Kimberley Diamond Cup (KDC) Am and KDC All Cities contest.

Give us a brief history behind how and why the band started, and how you got to the point where you are now.

At the beginning the band started for simple reasons; just some friends who wanted to get together, play music, and have fun while doing it. It wasn’t until a few years later we started realizing that people actually cared and wanted to hear more. We’re still awesome friends and still having fun with what we do.

Would you mind introducing the band members, and what you guys all do in your lives? Or is the band quite a full time thing?

My name is Andrew Adolph a.k.a. Shakewell. I play bass in Betrayal and the band is a huge part of my life. When I’m home I make hip-hop music. Sean Chamilian is our guitar player and also writes the music for Betrayal. He is a graphic designer and works for a clothing company back home called Defiant Youth Merch. Brendan Foley is our vocalist and writes the lyrics for Betrayal. When he’s home he works at Old Navy, does Pilates, plays video games and listens to Freddie Gibbs. Anthony Ramirez is our drummer. When he’s home he works at Guitar Center in the drum department.

How would you describe the music you make to someone who hasn’t heard you before?

I’d tell them that it is aggressive, heavy, fast, passionate music.

Who / what would you say some of your major influences as a band are?

Pantera, Comeback Kid, Pennywise.

What is the Los Angeles hardcore scene like compared to the other parts of the country?

Although we have friends in many parts of the world, there’s nothing like playing home and being able to see all of your neighborhood friends, as well as new faces, come out and have fun together.

Being a touring band, what are some of your favorite places you’ve been and why?

We obviously love going anywhere overseas for the fact that we get to experience new cultures and ways of life.

What are you expecting South Africa to be like? Any preconceived ideas? Are you guys hoping to do anything specific while you’re here?

We’re honestly are going into this with no preconceived notions. We are ready for any cultural experience with open arms!

What bands are you guys psyched on at the moment?

Let Live, Rotting Out, Lower Than Atlantis, Grimes, Breakfast.

Any last words?

See you all in September! All Praise Swank God.

Betrayal will be in South Africa this month, touring alongside Conqueror and Truth and Its Burden. They’re playing their first show 26 September. Here’s the full list of shows:

After the Vans Skate Team Demo at Southbank in London on 3 September, they spoke to Southbank’s Henry Edwards-Wood about the threat to destroy this legendary skate spot. Henry talks about why he is against turning the space into a retail space, and about the heritage of Southbank skateboarding.

Pattii McGee, born in 1945, was the first female professional skateboarder. She was also the first Women’s National Skateboard Champion in Santa Monica in 1965. Sponsored by Hobie Skateboards and Vita Pak, she did national tours where they paid her to do demo’s. She was featured on the covers of Life Magazine and Skateboarder Magazine (the fourth issue) in 1965. In 2010 the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC) made Patti the first female ever to be inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame.

‘Former Mountains’, a group show by Bruce Mackay, Dale Lawrence, Jean de Wet & Mike Tymbios is currently on view at Salon91 in Cape Town. The artists have been selected to exhibit together based on a strong narrative quality, which is common to their individual practices, as well as for a unique & highly individualistic quality of line which is both present & signature to each of their styles. The result is a sleek & sophisticated display of drawing and print, which seamlessly combines bold expression, abstraction and moments of extremely fine as well as graphic detail, all expressed through a limited palette of red, blues and black. Each exhibiting artist has indeed taken a truly unique approach to the treatment of the subject of ‘Former Mountains’ from singular to composite multifaceted interpretations, ranging from the very literal to far-off poetic and obscure expressions…

Congrats to our team riders for owning it at the Kimberley Diamond Cup Grand Slam at Stoneridge Skatepark in Johannesburg this past weekend. Anthony De Mendonca came first in the advanced division, with Trae Rice placing second and winning the Wild Card. Anthony, along with David and Adam Woolf, qualified for the KDC All Cities Competition. Kyfie Kruger took the Skaters Choice prize. This was the first of three events building up to the Kimberley Diamond Cup on 27-29 September.

He/she has been most active in the last 7 years, working extensively with several street art projects in different cities and continents. r1.’s work covers various media, including installations, sculptures and wall art (paste ups). In his/her interventions and sculptures, he/she often works with found materials, transforming them and giving them back to the city, as modified artistic contributions. r1. has lived in England and South Africa in recent years, where he/she has done most of his/her work. His/her work crosses cultural barriers between England and Africa and creates a dialogue between continents. r1. has also traveled in Europe and left some work behind in Germany, Spain and France.